The Wild What If One-Shots of Ghost Rider

October is the perfect time of year to dive into the wonderfully weird and wicked What If? universe! And out today is the latest installment of the famous franchise as Ghost Rider Robbie Reyes gets the spotlight in Sebastian Girner and Caspar Wijngaard's WHAT IF: GHOST RIDER #1!

This may be an early foray into the speculative madness for Robbie Reyes, but his fellow Spirits of Vengeance stand as no strangers to the game. To celebrate today's issue, we’ve pulled together a list of the greatest What If? Ghost Rider tales in history!

WHAT IF? #45

Interestingly, the first Ghost Rider What If? tale focused on the second holder of the mantle, Danny Ketch, instead of the original, Johnny Blaze. In this wild ride, Danny’s sister Barbara took on the fiery mantle during the events of GHOST RIDER #1—and not her brother. Why? Danny died, sadly, and Barbara became a leaner, meaner Rider so vicious that Doctor Strange and Spider-Man tried to take her down!

WHAT IF? #78

Spinning out of the landmark FANTASTIC FOUR #349 and the introduction of the temporary “New FF” of Hulk, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider, this story supposed a world where the original Fantastic Four didn’t make it through and their replacements became the real deal. Writer Chuck Dixon didn’t waste any time in throwing the team up against menaces like the Sinister Six, Lady Deathstrike, the Abomination, the Power Skrull, and, good ol’ Doctor Doom.

WHAT IF? #95

Finally, after alternate Danny Ketches received their spotlights, the original Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, stepped up to the plate to get his due in this departure from his origin story by writer Ivan Velez Jr. In this tale, Mephisto played the tune that Danny Ketch danced to, but Blaze brought it to a conclusion by destroying the demon. Pick it up and you’ll see why the cover says “Burn, Baby, Burn!”

WHAT IF? NEWER FANTASTIC FOUR #1

The concept of that alternate FF from FANTASTIC FOUR #349 must’ve really struck a chord with writers, because in this flight of fancy, Paul Tobin revisited the theme and plunged Ghost Rider and his chums Hulk, Spider-Man, and Wolverine into direct conflict with Thanos himself. Fans of the INFINITY WAR saga will enjoy this sideways look at the Mad Titan’s swath of destruction with the Infinity Gauntlet and the Rider’s role in it. Be prepared to shed a tear though, when our boy departs from the team...

WHAT IF THIS WAS THE FANTASTIC FOUR? #1

In a tribute to fan-favorite artist Mike Weiringo, Marvel pulled together an all-star creative team to finish another look at the “New” Fantastic Four. Ghost Rider’s here, along with Hulk, Wolverine, and Spider-Man. The issue depicted a delightfully off-kilter team-up, with clashing personalities and power sets that made for a Fantastic Four to remember. 

Read the latest What If? issue by visiting your local comic shop for WHAT IF: GHOST RIDER #1 today!